Across the country this Saturday (28 Jan 04), in seven different Sainsbury’s
supermarkets, disgruntled shoppers and bandit labellers took to the aisles to
protest against the company’s ongoing use of GM to feed the cows that produce
their dairy products. Local grassroots groups linked by GEN (The Genetic
Engineering Network) organized the event, and more protests are promised
across the country in the next few weeks. In Exeter, Sherbourne, Taunton,
Coventry, Bracknell, Wales, Plymouth and London shoppers were leafleted and
GM fed dairy products labelled. The idea is simple- To stop the growing of
GM crops by ensuring that there is no market for the GM fodder maize the
government are trying to commercialise. In Holland, supermarkets made a
commitment not to use GM feed, and although they have GM maize with full
approval no one's planted any. Sainsbury's are seen as the first domino in
the chain that needs pushing, because the big boys like Tesco won't go until
they do, and they're financially vunerable at the moment as well as being
linked to everyones favourite pro GM science minister- Lord Sainsbury.
Although not all the reports are back in yet, here's what happened in the
South West:
In Exeter's Alfingnton Road Sainsbury's two dancing Friesians occupied the
roof with a banner declaring “GM FED DAIRY- untested, unlabelled and in here”
and stayed there for over two hours. Meanwhile a banner, lifted on two giant
helium balloons, hung from the ceiling inside the store, (alas not for long-
the ceiling was a bit low for the 5ft wide banner and 4ft diameter balloons).
The tannoy was briefly taken over by protesters warning shoppers of
Sainsbury’s policy. A cow and a giant mutant maize handed out leaflets
inside, before being forceably ejected, and three of the checkout girls spent
their break outside with the protesters, asked for leaflets and quietly said-
'good on you, we agree'. The police were called, but were almost
embarrassingly co-operative, and there were no arrests, despite the entire
milk and dairy stock being labelled by 17 other protesters (which resulted in
the deputy manager running out screaming to the police 'they've done criminal
damage to our cheese!'). Almost all of the labelled products were
subsequently removed by the staff, which will have amounted to a not
insubstantial loss to Sainsbury's. There was a strong media interest
(hampered by technical difficulties at the GEN end on the day). By none the
less local TV and radio covered the story and all the local papers are
running the full story and pictures.
In Plymouth people leafleted for an hour and a half both inside and outside
the shop before the police were called and GM fed products were also labelled
inside the store.
GM, by the supermarket’s own admission, is currently fed to the cows that
produce their dairy products, as well as to the cattle and pigs that make
their beef and pork in their non-specialist ranges. Yet there is no labelling
to alert shoppers to the presence of this GM in the food chain. The Co-op
and Marks & Spencers already sell totally non-GM reared meat and dairy as
standard, due to deep customer concerns about the issue.
They have good reason to be worried. Bob Orskov OBE, Director of the
International Feed Resource Unit in Aberdeen has said that “As a scientist I
wouldn't drink milk from cows fed GM maize with the present state of
knowledge”.
Sainsbury’s claim that they haven't kept their promise because of their
‘concern about the commercial impact of this on farmers’. Yet the appallingly
low price that Sainsbury’s currently pays farmers for their milk is causing a
crisis in agriculture, while they and the other major supermarkets cream off
huge profits on the massive mark up on the shelves. John Sherrall, the
Chairman of FARM 'The independent voice of farmers' explained-
“Sainsbury's suppliers now pay farmers less than their production cost for
their milk. GM maize will not end this injustice but contaminate neighbouring
farms and food crops, destroying more livelihoods”
The protesters in Exeter were supported by customers – who attached flags
with the message 'support farmers, not GM' to their trolleys and who went to
the Customer Services desk to demand that 'Sainsbury's start paying a fair
price for GM free milk.'
One of the campaigners added-
“Safe food is a right, not a privilege, and at the moment people don’t even
know what’s going into the food chain. A lot of the customers we’ve talked to
are shocked that this backdoor into GM exists and they aren’t being told
about it. After all the evidence about the environmental and agricultural
damage caused by GM crops, and with the shadow of BSE hanging over us, isn’t
it about time Sainsbury’s kept it’s promise?”
These are the tactics which got GM ingredients labelled and off the
supermarket shelves five years ago- and started the seizing-up of the Biotech
industry. They work. If you want an info pack with action ideas, labels and
Sainsbury's specific leaflets contact GEN via 01803 840098.
ENDS
Editors notes:
1. The first GM crop being proposed for commercial growing in the UK is a
kind of GM maize to be used as cattle fodder.
2. Over 80% of GM crops grown globally are for animal feed, after the
widespread public rejection of the technology in food
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local press articles
02.03.2004 12:04
1. POLICE EVICT PROTESTERS IN GM DEMO
-Exeter Express & Echo
2. SUPERMARKET TARGETED BY ANTI-GM PROTESTERS
-Western Morning News
3. Letter to Western Morning News
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Notes: Despite the headline of the 1st story, the police were exceptionally
co-operative and merely spectated for two hours - then watched as everyone
departed. There are some errors in the 2nd story that are redressed in the
letter sent to them (item 3). This was also covered by BBC TV in the
SouthWest. Please post me any other news items you see on this. Thanks. R.
****************************************************
1. POLICE EVICT PROTESTERS IN GM DEMO
BY EMMA SLEE
Exeter Express & Echo
12:00 - 01 March 2004
Police were called to a city supermarket at the weekend after campaigners
tried to take over the store's tannoy system to protest about GM crops.
More than a dozen protesters rushed inside Sainsbury's Alphington store on
Saturday to put stickers on dairy products and to shout their message over
its public address system.
They were subsequently evicted by police officers who had been monitoring the
protest.
The demonstration began at the store just after lunchtime on Saturday, when
protesters dressed as cows and carrying banners took to the store's roof as
part of a national demonstration launched at Sainsbury's supermarkets
throughout the country.
The protesters claim that the company uses GM food to feed the cows that
produce its dairy products. There were similar protests at Sherborne,
Taunton, Coventry, Bracknell, London and locations across Wales.
The protesters occupied the roof in Exeter for more than two hours. Two others
dressed as a cow and a giant mutant maize handed out leaflets outside the
store. They then moved inside and were forcefully evicted by police after
sticking labels on the store's entire milk and cheese stock.
The protesters also attached flags with the message 'Support farmers, not GM'
to customers' trolleys and went to the customer services desk to demand that
the store should pay a fair price for GM-free milk.
Campaigner Claire Taylor said: "Safe food is a right, not a privilege, and at
the moment people don't even know what's going into the food chain.
"The customers we've talked to are shocked that this backdoor into GM exists
and they aren't being told about it." PC Roy Adams, spokesman for the Exeter
police, confirmed that officers had been called by the manager of the store,
who had been initially concerned for the welfare of those on the roof. PC
Adams said some people had been warned about their behaviour, but no arrests
had been made and the demonstration had been generally peaceful.
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's said: "The integrity of the food we sell is our
first priority, so we are surprised they have chosen to target us.
"We were the first of the major supermarkets to eliminate GM ingredients from
all our own-label products."
****************************************************
2. SUPERMARKET TARGETED BY ANTI-GM PROTESTERS
Western Morning News
09:00 - 01 March 2004
Protesters dressed as pantomime cows climbed onto the roof of a Westcountry
supermarket to highlight their campaign against genetically-modified foods.
Members of the Totnes Genetics Group unfurled a banner on the roof of the
Sainsbury's store in Alphington, Exeter, on Saturday.
They gave shoppers leaflets, put stickers on milk and cheese, and even briefly
took over the supermarket's tannoy system.
The campaigners claim that some Sainsbury's products contain traces of
genetically modified crops - such as beef and dairy products from animals fed
on GM animal feed.
They say the supermarket giant has promised to stop selling food made from
animals given GM meal to eat, but has not yet followed the example of the
Co-op and Marks & Spencer in doing so.
A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's said: "The integrity of the food we sell is our
first priority, so we are surprised that they have chosen to target us. We
were the first of the major supermarkets to eliminate GM ingredients from all
our own-label products.
"We have every confidence in the integrity of our milk, and support the Food
Standards Agency's advice, which states: 'No genetic material or gene
products from GM plants used in animal feed have yet been detected in milk'."
****************************************************
3. Letter submitted to Western Morning News
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir,
SAINSBURY'S DECEIVE CUSTOMERS OVER GM ANIMAL FEED CONTROVERSY
In your story about the rooftop GM protest at Sainsbury's, the supermarket
chain defend their policy of allowing vast quantities of GM animal feed to be
fed to their dairy cows by stating that none of this can be detected in the
milk. This is like claiming that it is OK to feed BSE infected sheep brains
to cows because sheep brain cannot be detected in the cows milk. GM
campaigners have never claimed that there are bits of GM maize in Sainsbury's
milk, and Sainsbury's are deliberately misrepresenting the reason for these
protests. The reality is that unlike the Co-op and Marks & Spencer, who have
stopped feeding GM maize to dairy cows, Sainsbury's still allow this practice
and do not know whether or not it is dangerous for customers or cows. There
has been no long-term testing of milk from GM-fed cows on human volunteers.
Meanwhile Dr Bob Orskov, the Director of the International Feed Resource Unit
in Aberdeen (who should know his facts if anyone does) says "As a scientist I
wouldn't drink milk from cows fed GM maize with the present state of
knowledge".
Yours sincerely,
Robert Vint, Director
Genetic Food Alert UK.
Genetic Engineering Network